Doorlatch



Oct. l5, 1935. l B. THAI.

DOORL'ATGH Filed April 28, 1953 9, sheets-Sheet 1 "L r um A lll!!! 33 oct. 1s, 1935. B THAL 2,017,516

DOORLATCH Filbed April 28, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented oct. is, 193s f UNITED STATESA -PATENT o-,FFicE 4 Claims.

My invention relates to door latches and refers particularly to a latch which is well adapted for automobile doors.

Due to the nature of the present constructions now commonly in use, in order to close an automobile door completely, it must be slammed, in order to make the latch bolt engage with its keeper. The chief reason'for this-is that cushioning bumpers for the door have to be compressed before the door can latch. This slamming of an automobile door is liable to break the glass, which it sometimes does, and it is diflicult to gauge the force of the slam within the rather l narrow margin between that necessary to engage the latch bolt and to avoid breaking the glass. Also the noise of slamming automobile doors is disturbing to a neighborhood.

Automobile doors are commonly hard to open, requiring the use of an undue amount of force to disengage the bolt from its keeper, this being due to the strong pressure of the compressed bumper, which creates frictional resistance to the movement of the bolt. 'Ihis in turn results in faster wear of the relatively movable parts of v the latch, which thus become loose, with looseness of the door itself, the commonly applied makeshift remedy being to put in thicker bumpers.

The latch of my invention overcomes the necessity for slamming the door, makes its opening easy, and compensates for wear, as well as having many other desirable attributes.

In carrying out my invention, a rocking striker member, which also forms a keeper for the latch bolt, is mounted on a vertical pivot intermediate of its length horizontally,-such pivotbeing offset inwardly from the outwardly exposed face of such striker member, this striker member having a bolt-receiving opening therein closer to its rear than to its front end and adjacent to its pivot. This opening is sufliciently narrow horizontally from front to rear that the tapered end of the bolt can enter therein only to a limited extent. 'I'he walls of' this opening at the front and rear provide cam edges which co-operate in a particular manner with cam surfaces on. the end of the bolt, in producing the desired results. A`

closed and before there is any compression of the bumper for the door. Thereupon the outward thrust of the spring-actuated bolt rocks the striker member by camming action such as to cause the striker member to press the bolt, and hence the door, strongly inward until the door 6 is fully closed and securely latched automatically, with its bumper then in a compressed condition. In opening the door, as the bolt is withdrawn, a reverse camming actiony takes place, by which the striker member will rock in the opposite direcl0 tion, as the compressed bumper relieves itself with the beginningof opening movement of the door. This at the same time reduces friction and wear, as well as the amount of `muscular effort to be expended in opening the door. l5

`The door latch of my invention, with modifications thereof, will be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which similar .parts are designated by similar reference numerals and in which: 20

Figure 1 is a horizontal section through an automobile door latch of my invention in appliedv conditionA and showing positions of parts with the door not quite closed. l

Figure 2 is a similar view showing positions 25 of partsrwith the door fully closed and latched.

Figure 3 is a face View in elevation of the door jamb and keeper element mounted' therein, as viewed from the right in Figure 1 with the door omitted.

Figure 4 is a vertical section on the horizontal line 4 4 of Figure 1. n

Figure 5`is a perspective view of disassembled parts of the keeper element.

`Figure 6 is a horizontal section similar to Fig- 85 ure 1, showing a modification of the l,keeper element.

Figure '7 is an elevation of the door'jamb and keeper element as viewed from the right in Figure 6. i v 40 Figure 8 is a horizontal section similar to Figure 1, showing a modification of my door latch adapted for houses.

Figures 9, 10 and 11 are reduced top views showing other modifications, of which those shown in 45 Figures 10 and 11 are particularly adapted for refrigerator doors.

Figure 12 is an elevation similar to Figure 7, of. anothery modication. f*

Figure- 13 is a horizontal sectionslmilar to Flg- 50 ure 2, showing the latching operation of the construction shown in Figure 12, with the door fully closed and latched. e

The major part of the novelty in the door latch of my invention resides in the construction of its f' keeper element and in the co-operative relation ofthe latter with the mechanism of the latch element which is adapted to co-operate therewith. In other respects and for the most lpart the latch mechanism itself may be of a usual or any suitable construction. In the automobile door latch of my invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, the construction of the latch element will be rst described, and then the construction of the keeper element which co-operates therewith. v r

A usual form of door II is adapted to close within and against a usual jamb portion I2 eof the automobile body. A ledge I3 on the door Il is adapted to abut against and compress ausual resilient cushion bumper I 4 whioh is set into a complementary ledge I5 on the jamb I2. The door and jamb I2 are indicated as being provided respectively with usual inside upholstery I6 andI1.

The latch element is shown as set into the inner face and edge of the door II. The frame or casing of the lock comprises a plate I8 provided with a flange I9, together with an inside frame plate 20, and is shown as secured to the door `by a plurality of screws 2|, 2|.

A latch bolt 22, between the frame plates and 20 has its normally projecting head 23 guided through an opening 24 in the plate flange I9 and, in the construction shown, is further guided by means of astud 25 thereon slidable in a slot 26 through the Amain frame plate I8. The bolt 22 is rather strongly thrust outward by means of a lower toe 21 thereon engaged by the otherwise free end of a volutely coiled ribbon spring 28 having its inner-end anchored to'a splitstud 29 fixed to the main frame plate I8.

The boit 22 may be withdrawn, against the force of the spring 28, by means of an upper lug 30 thereon engaged by the end of a rocking lever 3| pivoted in the frame plates I8 and 20. The back of the lever 3| may abut against the frame -flange I9 and thus form a stop which limits the outward projection of the bolt head 23,' the withdrawal movement of the bolt 22 being limited by the stud 25 in the slot 26. The bolt-withdrawing lever 3| has a square hole engaged by the inner squared end portion32 of a usual handle shaft 33 having a bearing in an outer collar 34 xed on the door I I.

The bolt head 23 has a front at latching face 35, which in the ccarrying' out of my invention acts also as a cam face. At its inner side and end the bolt head 23 has a convexly curved cam face 36, shown as arcuate and as extending substantially through 90.

The keeper element of this automobile door latch of my invention has a frame set into the ledge portion i5 of the jamb I2. This frame part of the keeper element comprises a channelframe part being shown as secured-to the jamb I2 bymeansofapairofscrews4|,4|. The front bar 4|) has an outer face inclined forwardly and' towards the web 31, and has an abrupt abutment-forming inner or rear farce. 'Ihis bar48forms an initial striker member' for the end of the bolt head 23, and behind the abrupt face o f which the bolt head 23`may engage'when the door is not in a fully 4Closed position, as is 'shown in Figure 1. This striker bar 48 functions substantially in the manner of the usual safety catch commonly provided for the doors of automobiles. It prevents the door lII from swinging open should. themlobr not be tightly closed, or should its latch be inadvertently disengaged.

A rocking striker member 42 has an outer flat 5 cam face 43 which in the disengaged position and condition of this striker member, shown in Figures l, 3 and 4 inclines forwardly and towards the web 31, in position to be engaged by the conv'ex cam end face 36 of thebolt head 23. This 10 striker memberl 42 is in general o f rectangular I shape and tapers in thickness towards the front. Upper and lower mounting lugs 44 and 45, shown as in the form of ribs, are formed on the back of the striker member 42 adjacent its upper and l5 lower edges, the frame plate web 31 being shown as having slots 46 and 41 therein to provide vclearance for these lugs. -Substantially midway of its length horizontally, the striker member 42 is pivoted, by means of its lugs 44 and 45, to rock on a vertical pivot pin 48 having its ends secured inthe frame plate flanges 38 and 39.

'I'he ribs formed by the mounting lugs 44 and have smaller lugs 49 and 58 respectively on their upper and lower sides at their forward 25 ends. 'I'hese lugs 49 and 50, together with the rib lugs 44 and 45 and the adjacent faces of'the upper and lower plate flanges 38 and 39, form retaining guards for a pair 4of similar upper and lower U-shaped expanding springs 5| and 52 30 which act between the rear end portions of the plate web 31 and striker member 42. Thus these springs have a tendency to return the pivoted striker member 42 to and maintain it at its position .of disengagement shown in Figures 1,' 3 35 and 4, in which its forward end abuts against the frame plate web 31. These springs 5| and 52 prevent rattling.

The striker member 42 has through it a ver-'- tically slotted bolt-receiving opening53, the front 40' and rearv faces 54 and 55 of which are shown as parallel and as slightly inclined towards the forward end of the striker member withrespect to its outer flat cam face 43, this nat outer surface 43 extending rearwardly beyond the rear face 55 45' -the thickness of the' tapering bolt head 23 as a 55',

whole.' Thus this bolt ,head 23 can only enter the opening 53 to a limited extent, and camming action can take place between the forward fiat face 35 of the bolt head 23 and the forward face 54 of the opening 53, as well as also at the same 60 time between the rear convex face 36 of the bolt head and the rear face 55 of the opening 53, more particularly on the faces 54 and 55 adjacent to the outer face 43 of the rocking striker member 42. f

The operation is as follows: i In closing the door I I, the end of the bolt head 23 first rides over the safety catch provided by the initial striker member 40. Then as the clos'- ing movement of the door continues, from the position thereof shown in Figures I and 4, the convex cam end surface 36 of the bolt head 23 strikes -against and rides inwardly or rearwardly along the flat cam face 43 of the striker member 42, the bolt 22 being thus gradually pushed back ''iV against the force of its spring 28, while the striker Y member 42 remains stationary. This continues clearing the outer edge of the front face 54 of this opening. The ledge I3 of the door II will now be close to and barely, if at all, touching,

but not compressing, the compressible bumper cushion carried by the jamb ledge I5.

The thrust of the spring 28 on the bolt 22 now snaps the bolt head 23 into the opening 53 in the striker member 42. During the first part of this movement of the bolt head 23 its latching face slides along and has a preliminary latching engagement with the latching face 54- of the striker member 42. Immediately the convex cam face 36 of 'the bolt head 23 comes into engagement with the outer edge portion of the at cam face 55 of the striker-member 42. Thel consequent cam action, as the bolt 22 is forced towards its final latching position by its spring 28 automatically instantly and forcibly rocks the striker member 42 from its initial position shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4 to its final fully engaged latching position shown in Figure 2.

While the convex face 36 of the bolt head 23 is thus having camming engagement with the rear cam face 55 of the striker member 42, the front cam face 54 of the latter has a camming engagement with the locking face 35 of the bolt head 23. As the striker member 42 is thus rocked, Ythe outer edge portion of its locking face 54, which forms a short lever arm relatively to the pivot pin 48, exerts a powerful pressure against the latching face 35 of the bolt head 23. This latter pressure compresses the bumper I4 and forces the door II to a fully closed and securely latched position, as shown in Figure 2. The spring 28 still remains effective, with its force now counterbalanced against the resistance of the bumper I4 to further compression, thereby assuring a tightly closed condition of the door II being maintained.

When the door II is thus latched, it is safely secure. It has been found that it cannot be forced open,1nor made to budge, by any amount of pressure brought to bear upon it. The cooperative relation of the illustrated and above described coacting movable parts is, and has been found to be, such as to maintain the door I I in a securely latched condition. Pressure on the door I I in an opening direction cannot rock the striker member 42, since the outer edge portion of itsv cam face 55, forming a long lever arm with the pivotr 48, is immovably abutted against the cam face 36 of the bolt head 23. Even if there were any possible way (which there is not) by which the striker member 42 could be rocked from its position shown in Figure 2 to that shown in Figure 1, it would still hold the bolt head 23 against escape, with the latching face 35 of the latter in latching engagement with the latching face 54 of the striker, as should be clear from Figure 1, and substantially the same in that respect as is shown in Figure 8. The only way in which the bolt head 23 can be disengaged from the striker member 42, which forms a keeper therefor, is by withdrawing the bolt 22 by means of the handle shaft 33.

In opening the door II, withdrawal of the bolt 22 by means of the handle shaft 33 is easy, and there is very little friction or wear. At the very beginning of withdrawal of the bolt head 23, the expansion of the compressed bumper I4 will start to push the door II open, the striker member 42 then being free to rock as fast as thebolt head 23 is being withdrawn.V 'Whenthe striker 42 has thus rocked back to the position thereof shown in Figure 1, the compressed condition of the bumper I4 will have been relieved, so that the 5 bolt head 23 still may be easily further withdrawn, until its latching face 35 is freed from the latching face 54of the striker member 42.

The modified keeper elementv shown in Figures f 6 and 7 has a frame part consisting of a heavy l0 plate 56 having an initial striker 51, providing a safety catch, formed in the same-piece therewith, this plate 56 also having a pair of similar upper and lower outstanding lugs 58, 58 formed thereon in which the ends of the pivotpin 48 are secured. l5 Some slight changes in dimensions and relationship of other parts, with respect to the previously described construction, are immaterial, with reference to which the manner of operation is substantially similar.

A slightly modified form of the door latch of my invention more particularly adapting it for house doors is shown in Figure. This construction as to its essential operating features is substantially similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 5 25 inclusive. It diiers therefrom mostly in that the safety catch has been omitted, the springs 5I and 52 have been omitted, and the pivotal axis of the rocking striker member is closer to the middle Lline of its bolt-receiving latching, or keeper, 30 opening.

A door 59 within a jamb 60 closes against a stop strip or molding 6I on the jamb. The lock element has a casing 62 mortised into the edge of the door. A bolt head 63 has a flat front latch- 35 ing face 64 and a convex cam end face 65. The keeper element of the latch has a flanged frame plate 66 set into the jamb and secured' thereto.

. This frame plate 66 carries a vertical pivot pin 61.

A rocking striker member 68 has through it a 40 bolt-receiving keeper opening 69, providing a front latching face' 18 and a rear cam face 1I, and forwardly from this opening has a striker surface 12, relatively to which the flat parallel faces 18 and 1I are inclined outwardly and rear- 45 wardly. The striker surface 12 is shown as merging forwardly into a rounded surface portion 6 IA. At its back the striker member is pivoted on the pin 61, the axial line of which is shown as in a plane very nearly as close to the front cam face 'I0 as to the rear cam face 1I, and thus more widely spaced rearwardly from this keeper face 1li-than is shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The operation is in Vgeneral substantially simllar to that already described. It will be noted from Figure 8 that the door 59 has not yet quite reached its fully or tightly closed position, but with the outer portion of the latching face 64 of the bolt head 63 already in latching engagement with the latching face 18 of the rocking striker 60 member 68, and with the convex cam face 65 of the bolt head 63 also 1in engagement with the outer edge portion of the rear cam face 1I of the striker member.

This shows an unstable position of the co- 65 operating movable parts and illustrates Itheir automatic door-closing action. The outward thrust of the spring-pressed bolt head 63,. in that respect similar to the first described construction, will cause its convex cam face 65 to have a 70 camming action with the outer edge portion of the rear cam face 1I of the striker member'68, thereby forcibly rocking the striker member away from its initial position shown in Figure 8. Thus the outer portion of the latching face 10 of the (5 striker member 6B which is in engagement with the outer end portion of the latching face 64 of the bolt head 63 will move the latter inward together with the door 59.. The door 59 will thus be automatically fully closed and firmly pressed lagainst. its stop 6I and there latched, under pres- The modifications of the door lock of my invention shown in Figures 9, 10 and 11 respectively, as to their co-operating operating parts, are constructed and operate substantially as described with reference to Figure 8. The changes are in the frame for the keeper element, for adapting the lock to different installations, With different kinds of doors.

The construction shown in Figure 9 is applicable to substantially. any kind of a door where the latch casing 62 is secured to the exposed face of a door 13 which closes into a door casing jamb 14, such as a closet, cupboard, hinged type of window, or a house door. The frame of the keeper element of the latch, which carries the rocking striker member 68, then takes the form of a projecting bracket 15 secured to and projecting from the face of the jamb 14 adjacent its edge and forming a housing for the rocking striker member 63.V Y

Figure 10 shows one manner of installing the door latch of my invention for a door 16 which closes against the exposed face of its jamb 11, such as in a refrigerator. The latch frame 62 is set into the inner face of the door 16 at its edge, while the keeper element frame bracket 15, which carries and houses the rocking striker member '63, is secured to the jamb 11 to project from its exposed face in spaced relation from its edge and adjacent to the edge of the door 16.

Figure 11 shows a similar door 1B and casing jamb 19, for example, of a refrigerator with its door closing against the exposed face of its jamb.

Here the latch frame 62 is secured to the exposed face of the door 18. A keeper element bracket lil secured to the jamb 19 projects alongside the edge of the door 13 beyond its exposed face and somewhat beyond the lock element 62 adjacent to which it carries and houses the rocking striker Anember 68.

The modified construction shown in Figures 12 and 13 is substantially similar to that shown in Figures 6 and '1. The principal distinguishing difference is that in the modification of Figures 12 and 13 a pair of pivot-forming rivets 3|, Il have been employed in place of the Ycontinuous pivot pin 43 which is shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7.

. This allows the rocking striker member 42 to be so proportioned relatively to the bolt head 23 that the latter can enter the opening 53 in the striker member 42 to a greater extent beyond its outer exposed face 43. The end portion of the springprojected bolt head 23 can enter into the unobfaces 54 and 55 oi the striker member 42, as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 inclusive.

It will now be clear that the door latch of my invention, although particularly adapted foiI au- 5 tomobiles, has numerous advantageous applications and uses, without requiring any extensive changes or modications in its construction and Without departure from its principle of operation.

It is also to be noted that it is strong, Secure. l0 dependable, reliable, durable, simple and inexpensive.

It is obvious that various modifications may be made in the constructions shown in the drawings and above particularly described, within` the 15 principle and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I do not limit myself specifically to minor details of parts, size, shape, materials, nor to a particular specific relationship of parts, these being given simply as a means for clearly describing the door latch of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. As an article of manufacture, a pivoted striker provided with a striker cam face and an opening having front and rear opposed faces disposed respectively at the front and rear sides of the axis of its pivot, the front face of said opening forming a keeper for a bolt, and the rear face of said opening forming a striker cam face for the bolt adapted to cause rocking movement of said striker about the pivot.

2. In a door latch, an intermediately pvoted' striker member having on one side of the pivot a forwardly inclined outer cam face' adapted to 35 be engaged by the end of a bolt head as the bolt head travels thereon during the closing move. ment of the door, the cam face terminating in an opening in which the bolt head is adapted to be received, the front and rear faces of the 40 opening being substantially parallel and inclined toward the forward end of the striker -member with the front face of said opening forming an acute angle with respect to the forwardly inclined outer cam face and the front and rear 46 faces of said opening being disposed respectively at the front and rear sides of the axis of the pivot.

3. In a door latch, a rocking striker member having an outer face and an inner face, the outer face being-provided with a forwardly inclined outer cam surface adapted to be engaged by a bolt head, the striker member having also a boltreceiving opening bounded by front and rear walls. the cam surface terminating at the front wall, 5 and the striker member being pivoted intermediately thereof between the front and rear walls adjacent to the inner face.

4. In a door latch, a rocking striker member having an outer face and an inner face, the outer .o face being provided with a forwardly inclined outer cam surface adapted to be engaged by a bolt head, the striker member having also a boltreeeiving opening bounded by front and rear walls, the cam surface terminating at the franc 05 wall, the striker member being pivoted intermediately thereof between the front and rear walls adjacent to the' inner face, and adjacent portions of the front wall of said opening and of said inclined outer cam surface being disposed at an acute angle relatively to eachother.

BERNHARD THAL. 

